You may recall Steven Carter from earlier postings about his aphorisms, his parables and his oxymorons. He’s now published his Collected Aphorisms 2008-2018, which brings together a decade of mordant musings on art, life and everything in-between. The cover of Collected Aphorisms shows a picture of the ceiling beams in what was the library in the tower at Montaigne’s chateau in Dordogne, France. Montaigne had the beams inscribed with some of his favorite aphorisms from the Bible and by classical authors. Literally in the case of Montaigne’s library, and metaphorically in the case of this and other collections, aphorisms give us something to look up to. A selection from Steven Carter’s latest…

Much can be tolerated by condemning it.

People’s doubts reveal more about their spiritual strength than their beliefs.

Philosophy governs with the period, science with the exclamation point, literature with the question mark.

It’s easier not to be a phony than to be one.

Art is superfluous—which is precisely why it’s necessary.

A promise is like that fragile item in a glass shop—in reverse. If you break it, it owns you.